To Kill a Mockingbird Research Paper
Moral Development of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird
Grace Mahoney
Majewski
6/8/2012
Moral Development of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird * Scout’s moral development throughout To Kill a Mockingbird has to do with how she is taught to see “the other”, her exposure to racism and injustice, and that she had Atticus as a parent to guide her through her childhood. These factors together create a stable learning environment for Scout to grow and develop in. Scouts relationship with the constant adults in her life helps to shape who she becomes. Her father is a big role model for her and she looks up to him immensely. Her housekeeper, Calpurnia, is also a teacher for her. She teaches her about things in the kitchen and basic things about being a woman, like manners while also letting her be a child. Miss Maudie is about Atticus’s age, shares most of his views on things and lives across the street. When Jem starts growing up and does not want to be as close to Scout anymore, Scout starts spending more time with Miss Maudie. She reinforces Atticus and talks to Scout as less of a 6 year old child and more of an equal. When Atticus invites Aunt Alexandra to live with them, she teaches Scout a whole new perspective. She does not much approve of Atticus’s parenting style or his other actions, and is harsher on Scout then he is. Aunt Alexandra teaches her how to dress, talk, and act like a lady. When Atticus takes on the trail of an innocent black man (Tom Robinson) raping a white girl (Mayella Ewell), Scouts whole life changes. At first she didn’t know why people were calling her father terrible names and looking at her differently. Eventually, her father explains the situation in a way that shows how Tom is innocent. When the trial finally went on, Scout, Jem, and Dill snuck in and all saw the blatant injustice and prejudice being displayed there. As the critic Merren Ward wrote, “[Blacks] certainly did not have the benefit of the supposed impartiality of the law”
Grace Mahoney
Majewski
6/8/2012
Moral Development of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird * Scout’s moral development throughout To Kill a Mockingbird has to do with how she is taught to see “the other”, her exposure to racism and injustice, and that she had Atticus as a parent to guide her through her childhood. These factors together create a stable learning environment for Scout to grow and develop in. Scouts relationship with the constant adults in her life helps to shape who she becomes. Her father is a big role model for her and she looks up to him immensely. Her housekeeper, Calpurnia, is also a teacher for her. She teaches her about things in the kitchen and basic things about being a woman, like manners while also letting her be a child. Miss Maudie is about Atticus’s age, shares most of his views on things and lives across the street. When Jem starts growing up and does not want to be as close to Scout anymore, Scout starts spending more time with Miss Maudie. She reinforces Atticus and talks to Scout as less of a 6 year old child and more of an equal. When Atticus invites Aunt Alexandra to live with them, she teaches Scout a whole new perspective. She does not much approve of Atticus’s parenting style or his other actions, and is harsher on Scout then he is. Aunt Alexandra teaches her how to dress, talk, and act like a lady. When Atticus takes on the trail of an innocent black man (Tom Robinson) raping a white girl (Mayella Ewell), Scouts whole life changes. At first she didn’t know why people were calling her father terrible names and looking at her differently. Eventually, her father explains the situation in a way that shows how Tom is innocent. When the trial finally went on, Scout, Jem, and Dill snuck in and all saw the blatant injustice and prejudice being displayed there. As the critic Merren Ward wrote, “[Blacks] certainly did not have the benefit of the supposed impartiality of the law”